


It's So Easy to Get Lost in a Book

by EscapingArtist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Established Draco Malfoy/Hermione Granger, F/M, Fluff, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Kissing, Not Canon Compliant, marital trouble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-05-20 19:31:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19383292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EscapingArtist/pseuds/EscapingArtist
Summary: "A prince loved a princess very much...but what he didn't know is that he was close to losing her forever." Avoiding her problems and burying herself in a book was typical for her. But this was no ordinary book





	1. The Time Turner- Author Unknown

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing this particular pairing and first multi-chapter fic for the original characters. It is going to turn into a bit of a mystery/fractured fairy tale later on. No Beta and I'm not great at British slang so it is pretty Americanized. I swear sometimes too *shrugs* Comments greatly welcomed but please be kind/constructive. I do not own these characters

Her fingers trailed over the spines of the books. Bumping from one to the next. She wasn’t even looking at them or noticing the titles, just lost in thought. Then, a slight buzz of magic, like an electric shock after crossing a carpet, made her pause. She tipped the book off the shelf to take a closer look

The Time Turner

The title looped across the cover in a gold font that moved and shimmered slightly. Curious she opened to a random page and read

  
_“His gray eyes drilled into hers and her breath caught. He leaned in closer, his lips hovering just above hers, and whispered hoarsely ‘May I kiss you?”_

  
She snapped the book shut, glancing around guiltily. She knew she was blushing, but she also knew it wasn’t out of embarrassment. Peeking at another section it dropped her in the middle of a mystery of some sort.

_“We’re Aurors and we’re partners. We are going to have to make this work. Her honey brown eyes nearly sparked with anger. He grabbed her wrist as she turned away and drew her closer.”_

  
Lingering just a moment longer on the page she impulsively dropped the book into her basket and went up to the register. The clerk smiled kindly at her “Find everything you need Ms. Granger?” She nodded and tried to smile blandly as he rang up her purchases. His eyes never flickered or gave any indication he noticed the book and she gratefully dropped it into her beaded bag.

  
***

  
Bedtime had been a nightmare. Cassiopeia wouldn’t sleep without being held and Scorpius whined incessantly that it wasn’t fair, the he wanted his turn with her. She stayed in Cassie’s room until the whines had turned into soft snores, feeling guilty the whole time that she was avoiding her son. She slipped into the hallway just as Draco was leaving Scorpious’ room. Brown eyes met gray and he smiled tiredly at her. “I’m headed to bed.” His voice was almost gravely with exhaustion and he kissed her softly on the cheek “Come up soon?” Hermione nodded and bit her cheek to hold back her response. They’d barely had a chance to talk tonight, she wished he would come downstairs just for a little while.

She wasn’t tired and as she sank into the couch the pile of books on the arm spilled into her lap “The Time Turner” ending up on top. She picked it up and curled her legs under her as she began to read.

  
Her eyes felt gritty as she came to the end of the story. She blinked and rubbed them, catching sight of the clock. 11:30! She gasped. Tucking the book onto the shelf she made her ways upstairs. Tomorrow was going to hurt.

***  
  
Hermione clutched her coffee cup and pinched the bridge of her nose. Scorp was reciting facts off his chocolate frog cards and Cassie was singing loudly and banging her spoon in time. Draco wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her cheek “It’s going to be a late one” he said apologetically “Sure wish I was on vacation like you.”  
Her face fell, sure, vacation. A chance to be at home…all day…every day….just her and the kids. She thought briefly about her classroom and quiet office. Guilt flooded her, she was so lucky to be able to do this, that they could do this. She loved her kids, but also…. With a sigh she slid “The Time Turner” closer and flipped it open. Nodding and ‘Mhming” at intervals to Scorp and Cassie as she read.

***

  
Was it Friday yet? Cassie flailed at the base of the stairs and Hermione sat a few steps up. Bits of baby magic crackled and sparked. She flicked her wand every now and then putting out the flares. Draco opened the door and took in the scene. He smirked and waggled his eyebrows at her. Looking down she realized her skirt was hiked up and one of her shirt straps had fallen down. She rolled her eyes and tugged her clothes into place. She knew it was supposed to be a compliment but HONESTLY the last thing she felt right now was sexy or alluring.

***

  
Ginny took a sip of tea and gazed at Hermione. The kids had vanished upstairs with a giggle, leaving the two of them alone. “So, how are you?” Hermione fidgeted under her friends’ steady gaze.

  
“Honestly?” she sighed “I’m fucking miserable.” Ginny didn’t answer, just quirked an eyebrow and waited. “I mean” Hermione continued “it’s not like anything in particular is bad. I’m just, tired. I’m home for the summer, which should be great but its exhausting and Draco just works so much and he’s stressed. We barely see each other. I don’t want to complain about him or anything, he’s wonderful and he loves me so much and is so good with the kids. I shouldn’t complain, forget I said any thing.”

“It’s your life too” Ginny said, squeezing her hand. Just then a crash and a cry of “Moooooooom!” from upstairs sent them running.


	2. Escapism?

It had been three weeks since Hermione had brought home “The Time Turner.” The stories never seemed to run out and it was harder and harder to put down. She’d read a few pages as she cooked dinner or while Scorp played in the bath. When something demanded her attention she’d almost have to blink and readjust to which side was reality and which was fiction. The stories were good, varied, new perspective on old themes she had loved growing up. But, she bit her lip and squirmed, that wasn’t the only draw. Her eyes wandered back to the page

_“That’s it. He whispered in her ear, his breath tickling and making her squirm. “Come undone, for me.”_

She shut the book and hid it under a pile of letters on the counter, taking a breath to calm herself down.

***

Draco sat across from her at dinner, venting about his latest project and the red tape standing in his way. She tried to listen, she did, she just…couldn't bring herself to care right then. This is all they were, talking about work, the kids, her trying to think of something interesting she’d done that day that she could share and tagging off being "on duty" when they got overwhelmed. “I can see why people have affairs” she thought glumly “I just want to be seen.”

Her fork froze in mid-air. An affair? In all their years of marriage she’d never had that thought. She looked at Draco as he smiled crookedly at her and took her hand. “I just to need to try harder” she admonished herself “starting now.” She refocused her attention and smiled back at him.

But it was so hard. She’d waited on the couch after bedtime the next night, but he never came down. She peeked in and he was fast asleep, one arm flung over his eyes and the light still on. The following night he’d brushed past her on his way to the library, pulling down a stack of books and lining up his quills. “A few things to finish” he smiled apologetically. She forced herself to smile and curled up with her book. It was 11:30 again when she put it down and she frowned. She couldn’t have been reading that long and where was Draco? She didn’t remember him going up to bed at all.

The days fell into a pattern, one she was careful not to examine too closely. She went through the mechanics of the day but whenever she had a moment her hand would wander to the book and slide it closer. Her resolve to be more THERE for Draco and her kids melted away. Owls went unanswered, her research books got dusty and she was bleary-eyed from too little sleep.

***

“Hermione! Sweetheart. Granger!” Her eyes refocused and she shook her head slightly

“Must be the nargles” she thought with a grin, imagining the dreamy look Luna would be giving her right now.

“Are you ok?” Draco asked. The concern and love in his voice snapped something inside her.

“No” she answered and put her head in her hands “I don’t know what it is. I’m staying up too late. I can’t focus. I’m on edge.”

“Why? What’s the matter? What’s causing it?”

“I don’t KNOW” she sighed and stared at the table.

"What can I do?" He continued

"I don't KNOW"

Draco cleared his throat and gave her hand a squeeze “Ok. Well. I’m going to bed. I love you.”

She watched as he disappeared upstairs. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to cry or give in to hysterical, uncomfortable laughter. “OK I’m going to bed?” In what realm was that the answer you gave to your wife, your partner, when they said they weren’t ok? She angrily picked up her book and curled herself into a ball on the couch. Fine, he didn’t want to talk about…about…anything. She’d just escape into her book.

Like so many other nights she looked up at 11:30. She knew she should go to bed. Could feel the pull from upstairs. But she was still upset, still raw and the thought of getting into bed made her itchy. She turned away from the clock and opened another chapter. Losing herself in the pages until the clock began to chime 12 times. If she’d been thinking, been paying attention, she would have remembered they didn’t HAVE a clock that chimed.

But she was deep in the pages and didn’t notice as the chime faded, as the book grew warm and began to glow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moving forward will be more plot driven. Thoughts? Worth pushing forward?


	3. Once Upon a Time

Draco rolled over and reached out for Hermione, wanting to draw her close and bury his face in her curls and warmth. But she wasn’t there and her side of the bed was unrumpled and cold. He blinked sleepily and looked at the clock. 2:00am? Where could she be? Swinging his legs out of the bed he cast a quiet “Lumos.” Looking in on Scorp and Cassie he watched their chests rise and fall and felt the pinch that he knew was the painful amount of love he had for them.

Continuing downstairs he checked the kitchen, then his eyes caught a glow from the living room “Figures” he smirked “She's either still reading or fell asleep with the light on.” But the room was empty and the lamps were off. The glow was coming from, the couch? No, a book on the couch?

Carefully he picked up the book and as his eyes fell on the page script unrolled itself lazily, elegantly across it.

_“Once there was a prince and he loved a princess very much.”_

His breath caught as the lines swirled into a sketch of heads touching, arms intertwined, beautiful brown curls mingling with white blond hair. He stared, not breathing, not blinking for three long heartbeats.  
Just below the

picture a green and silver snake unfurled, twining around the paw of a lioness. “Yeah, no, I get it.” He said with exasperation. Gods! Magic! Sometimes it either had no patience or needed to be a little too on the nose.

The image washed off the page replaced by more script

_“What the prince didn’t realize is that he was close to losing his princess forever.”_

He sat down hard, feeling like a bludger had simultaneously hit him in the knees and the chest. He gripped his wand and took sharp, shallow breaths.

Below the words an ornate bed slowly spilled onto the page. In its center was Hermione, eyes closed, hair spread over the pillow, a single rose clasped in her hands. “NO!” He screamed? He whispered? He didn’t know and he didn’t care. He reached out for her but fingers just brushed unyielding parchment. He was afraid. He was so afraid. He didn’t know why he was so sure this was real, not a toy, not an invention of the Weasley’s, but he knew.

His hand gripped his wand and his breath came quick and gasping. Another line of script mockingly unfurled itself.

_“3 tasks and if your love is true. You’ll bring the princess back to you. 3 tasks will test your mind and heart. What say you Prince, do you dare start?”_

Suddenly the words sucked back into the page like a drain had been opened and a black stain spread from top to bottom, oozing and swirling into a forbidding stone door. The handle pulsed with light and a banner below it simply said “She’s waiting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short one to set up the rest of the story. The fairy tale references are heavy handed on purpose :)


	4. The First Task

Draco’s mind went blank. Then suddenly all the thoughts came roaring in, toppling over each other. He half crawled to the fireplace and threw floo powder on the flames “Potter” he croaked “Harry. Please.” One little bit of his mind smirked at him, that his first thought when he needed help was to call Harry fucking Potter.

Harry’s head appeared in the flames, his black hair sticking up in all directions “Whatsamatter Malfoy? The kids?”

“Hermione” was all he could choke out before he was knocked over by Harry coming through his fireplace. He hated to admit it, but having Harry here helped. He took a deep shaky breath “You should just look” he said, gesturing at his head “It’ll be easier.”

Harry nodded and pulled out his wand “Legilmens” and then silence as he retraced Draco’s steps. His hand dropped into his lap “What the actual FUCK” he half whispered and turned to look at the book.

“I’m going in after her” Draco said firmly.

Harry waved him off distractedly “Yeah, of course. Just hold on a minute.” He wove a complicated web of spells around the book, muttering to himself. The knot of magic glowed green and pink then faded away.

“What the hell was that?” Draco asked sharply “What did you do?”

Harry allowed himself a smug grin “Auror trained, remember? Experienced DADA professor?” Draco ran his hand through his hair as Harry continued “I was checking for Dark Magic.”

“And” Draco bit out

“It isn’t, dark I mean. But it isn’t light either. It’s something else. It’s…chaotic? Ancient?” He frowned “Are you SURE she is in there?”

Draco closed his eyes, bringing himself into the room in his mind where everything was organized. From a shelf in the center he picked up a small chest, deceptively heavy for its small size and unlocked it. Inside, his magical core pulsed and shimmered. He found the red-gold thread that wrapped around his core before unspooling elsewhere. He gave it a gentle tug. Reverberations ran down the thread, out of him, to the book and slipped under the door that was sketched there. He opened his eyes “I’m sure.”

Harry looked at him hard, then nodded “Right. Should Cass and Scorp go with Ginny or your Mum?”

Draco thought “With my mother” he said finally “Tilly” he called gently and a house elf popped into the room

“Yes, Master Malfoy?”

“Tilly I’m sorry to bother you so late. Will you please tell mother I have a, uh, family emergency and I need her to watch Cassiopeia and Scorpius? Then will you please fetch the children and take them to the manor?”

Tilly’s eyes went wide. “Of course, master. Right away” and she vanished with a pop. Harry was talking quietly to Ginny in the fireplace. He stood up, brushing himself off and came back to Draco.

“Right” he said briskly “Ginny’s holding things down there so I can stay.” Draco started to protest “I’m not going to try and go with you, don’t worry” Harry promised “I’m going to set up a perimeter, something to keep anything else out…. or keep things in.” He began to move around the room flicking his wand.

Tilly appeared again “Master, Missus said to tell you the children are safe. She said to tell you to be well.”

“Thank you, Tilly,” Draco answered and the elf vanished.

“OK” Harry said finally

“Ok” Draco echoed

Suddenly Harry pulled him into a hug “You’ve got this. Go rescue your damsel in distress.”

Draco rolled his eyes, “You know she'd hex you into next week if you called that to her face.” Harry just smiled.Taking a deep breath Draco reached out his hand to touch the page.

  
It almost felt like a portkey Draco thought, as he was pulled into the book. He landed with a clatter and jumped up in alarm. He was in, chain mail? With a sword? Behind him a horse whinnied “No” he spat out “Absolutely not.” A breeze rippled by, sounding almost like a sigh and he looked down to find he was wearing a tunic and carrying a staff while a small dog circled his legs. He rolled his eyes “Still no.” This time the wind was a huff of annoyance and when he looked down, he was in his own clothes and holding his wand. “Thank you” he drawled “Much better.”

“I’ll say” came a voice behind him and he whirled around, wand leveled. “Oh please” the voice said lazily “Put that down before you embarrass both of us.” Sitting on the rock was a small, jade green dragon.

“I’m sorry” Draco said in surprise “Who are you?”

“Hmm” the dragon said thoughtfully “You can call me…Norbert.”

Draco’s eyebrows shot up into his hairline “Norbet” he repeated. Thinking back to Hagrid’s hut many years ago.

“Yes” the dragon replied, like he was selecting from a number of choices “That will do.”

“Ah, um, ok, Norbert” Draco said cautiously “I’m still not sure of your…role.”

“Why” Norbert replied taking wing and circling around Draco’s head. “I’m your faithful companion of course.” He snickered “Every hero needs a sidekick. I’m very glad you didn’t stick with one of those other” he paused disdainfully “outfits. Being a horse is exhausting and dog form is just annoying. This” he continued stretching his wings “Is much better.”

“Hero?” Draco repeated “Me?”

“Of course,” Norbert rolled his eyes “Hero on an epic quest. What are you after? Princess? Prince? Cure for a plague-ridden kingdom? Whatever it is let’s get going.”

“It’s my wife” Draco responded

Norbert snorted “How pedestrian”

“And what” Draco continued is here.”

“Here is where you need to be” Norbert said simply and gestured into the distance. Draco looked around for the first time. A well-worn path twisted and coiled into the distance over a meadow finally getting lost in a crop of trees. Brilliant green grass and flowers of every color bordered the path…for about five feet out from it before ending abruptly in white parchment. “Ah” Norbert shifted uncomfortably “Yes. Well. It has a lot of breadth but the depth isn’t always there. If you know what I mean. Stick to the path ok?” and he flapped off.

Draco followed along behind trying to give his brain time to catch up. Hero, sidekick, three quests, chaotic ancient magic. He gently touched the connection between his core and Hermione’s, it ran down the path and vanished into the trees. This was completely inexplicable but it looked like it was his only option.

As they went on, Draco tried to ask Norbert questions but the dragon talked around the answers. Draco wasn’t sure if he wasn’t supposed to tell…or if he didn’t know. He gave up and instead testing the limits of his magic in…here. Spells seemed to work within the confines of the path but when he levitated a leaf and floated it out beyond the borders, the leaf and spell vanished as if swallowed whole.

  
“Norbert” He asked eventually “Are there any restrictions ah, Here that I should know? Things like not eating or what not?”

Norbert huffed “This isn’t fairyland. It’s perfectly safe, relatively, just stick to the path, do your job and get on with it. However” he continued “You shouldn’t need to eat or rest much. Have YOU ever seen a hero do that?

“I’ve never seen a hero at all” Draco retorted “Well, not this kind anyway, only read about them.”

“Hmmm” Norbert replied, arching his eyebrow pointedly.

“Oh” Draco said “Right, technically we are in a book so the only limitations are…what? Was there an author? Did authorial intent dictate the world around him, or did he? Was it an omniscient or unreliable narrator?” He sighed “I sound like Hermione; this isn’t really the time to get lost in theory.”

“Ahem” Norbert coughed delicately. “I’d stop there if I were you.” Draco looked up and gasped. Before him was a deep gorge, jagged rocks stuck out from the cliff face and across the expanse the path continued on.

Draco tried everything. He tried levitating a stick to use as a broom ("It’s leviOsa not levioSA" he muttered under his breath). Every spell for creating and transfiguring. Apparition didn’t work. Nothing worked.

Norbert was lounging on a rock filing his claws. “Interesting isn’t it” He drawled “You know children always say ‘sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me’ but that’s not true is it?” He got up and hovered near Draco “Words are immensely powerful. They can crush you or they can build you up. Tell me about your wife.”

Draco blinked at the topic changed and stared at Norbert in confusion “Humor me” Norbert smirked.

“Ah, well, she’s beautiful” Draco started uneasily. Norbert waved him off “You can do better than that, HOW is she beautiful.”

“Her eyes” Draco said suddenly “They are like cinnamon and caramel and honey and they sparkle with flecks of gold. When she smiles, I just want to keep doing anything I can to keep her smiling and laughing, it makes me feel warm and whole.” Draco heard a clunk behind him, like stone on stone, whipping around he saw the beginning of a stone bridge arching over the gorge. “She’s smart too” he continued slowly and when nothing happened, he went on “She never gives up. She will keep at a problem until it is solved. You know she’s thinking hard when she gets this crease between her eyes and bites her lower lip.”

More stones materialized, extending the bridge “She’s brave’ he went on “She spoke up for me at my trial. Eyes snapping and voice crisp telling the entire Wizengamot why I should be released immediately.” The bridge reached its apex. “She’s loyal. She’s a devoted mother. She rocks Cassie to sleep and tells her how much she loves her even when Cassie is screaming and hitting her. She listens to all of Scorps' stories, all of my stories and complaints.” Draco paused, unsure of how to go on.

“She is your wiffffeeeee” Norbert reminded him, drawing out the last syllable.

Draco swallowed hard “When I kiss her, everything else vanishes. She sighs into my mouth and pulls me closer and I never want to stop. Every time she entices me to bed or responds to my, ah, advances, I feel like the luckiest man alive. I know I’ll never need anyone else.” The last stone settled into place with a creak and Norbert flew out to inspect the bridge.

“Impressive” he called back “Quite sturdy. Well, come on now.” Draco warily stepped on to the bridge. It held firm as he edged across. With each step it was like Hermione was right there. He heard her laugh. Could almost taste her kiss and feel her arms around him.

He almost stumbled when he was back on land. The feeling of her vanished and he felt even more alone. He took a couple of deep, slow breaths, then followed Norbert down the path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Personal head cannons are Harry/Ginny, Harry as a Professor and a decent relationship between Draco and Narcissus. *shrugs*


	5. No Wrong Answer

He walked in silence for 5 minutes? 10 minutes? Hardly noticing the path changing from meadows to small hills and tumbeldowns of rock. He had meant every word he had said at the gorge. He knew it, and he also had a feeling the magic wouldn’t have worked with false flattery. But…. when was the last time he had made her laugh? REALLY laugh. The throw-back-your-head kind. He couldn’t remember. What about the last time they’d curled up on the couch together? Her arms around his waist and head nestled into his chest. His hand brushing across her arms, over her curls, down her back.

Well…he’d been busy for Godric’s sake! The new projects were flattening him at work and he tried to rush home so he could see Scorp and Cassie. His thoughts trailed off. That was all true, he reminded himself, it was also true that SHE mattered and that SHE didn’t go on hold just because things were busy. He sighed and scrubbed his hands over his eyes. When he opened them, Norbert was hovering 2 inches from his face causing Draco to jump back.

“You're very philosophical about all this” Norbert said conversationally “Most of the others blubbered a lot, or questioned their own sanity, or thought they were dreaming.”

“Wizard” Draco gestured at himself tiredly “Wizard who has seen some shit” he added bitterly.

Norbert hummed thoughtfully “So, why are you here?”

Draco looked annoyed “My WIFE remember?”

“Yes yes” Norbert waved dismissively. “But WHY. The last bloke had let his love be betrothed to another because he wouldn’t tell her how he felt. Before that was a princess who was having trouble admitting she loved the Duchess from the neighboring kingdom.” Norbert tapped a claw on his chin thoughtfully “Once there was even a father looking for a son he had banished. Oh! And one girl was collecting special herbs to heal a sickness even though she kept insisting she was NOT a healer JUST a housewife.”

Draco raised his eyebrows in confusion and surprise “Just between you and me” Norbert went on conspiratorially “Here is a bit of a romantic AND nosy. Always wants to meddle in those ‘almost no hope left’ cases. Give it one last try.”

“But that’s not US” Draco exploded “Hermione and I LOVE each other.

Norbert shrugged “Love isn’t always enough. Well” he amended “PASSIVE love isn’t. Love is a verb, something that takes action.”

They continued in silence as Draco turned this over in his mind. The path sloped upwards until it disappeared into the mouth of a cave. Norbert flapped on, seemingly unconcerned. Draco whispered “Lumos” and followed.

Inside, the light reflected and bounced off dozens of crystals, each as tall as a person. They were scattered throughout the room. A room, he realized, that had no exit. Norbert appeared from behind a crystal “You have to find the right one.” Draco turned, confused, and then gasped. Each crystal had a Hermione. He’d held it together this long, but seeing her warm smile coming from each corner of the room was too much. He sank to his knees and buried his head in his hands. He breathed slowly. He couldn’t give up now.

Standing shakily, he began to examine each crystal. Some were easy to dismiss. He almost laughed aloud at a Goth Hermione “Not that one” he said and at his words the crystal vanished. Hermione playing Quidditch was also dismissed, as was a Hermione berating and yelling at her students. He paused at a Hermione in dramatic cat-eye makeup, dressed in things that were just too short and just too tight “Not her” he said aloud. “But definitely an idea worth remembering” he added under his breath.

After a few minutes of moving around the chamber there were just two crystals left. At first glance they seemed almost the same, and both looked like HIS Hermione. He looked carefully at the closest one. Hermione smiled out at him, curls tumbling over her shoulders, dressed in the jeans and loose t-shirt she preferred at home. She seemed to glow, just like he always saw her. Moving to the other crystal he inspected it closely. Same smile, but were the curls maybe a tad wilder? He could see her wand sticking out of her back pocket and he smiled when he noticed one of Cassie’s stickers on the front of her shirt and ink staining her fingers. “This one” he said quietly, reaching out to touch her. The Hermione in the picture smiled, turned and walked away. The crystal cracked, revealing a doorway and the path continuing on.

“You know” Norbert said conversationally “Technically either crystal was the right one. But if you’d chosen the other one, the perfect looking one, your path would have been much longer and with MANY more obstacles. With this one….” His voice trailed off as they emerged from the cave and Draco saw the rocky path leading off and just in the distance a tall forbidding looking tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two tasks down and one to go......


	6. True Love's Kiss

Draco touched their bond and felt it race down the path and into the tower. “She’s there” he said, a statement more then a question. Then he frowned “but there are supposed to be three tasks.” Norbert just motioned him forward.

Draco had barely walked ten paces before something hurtled out of the sky. He threw himself to the ground and felt it whoosh over his head. Jumping up, wand drawn, he saw it careening back towards him. It was a…. giant clock? With wings? And it was screeching at him “no time! No time!”

“Impedimenta” he barked and the clock froze in mid-air and fell to the ground. Picking up the pace Draco raced down the path, eyes darting and wand ready. The reminder from the clock that he might be out of time made his heart constrict. It also made him think of all the things eating up the hours at home.

He had made it a few paces when he was suddenly flung backward as the path in front of him bucked and heaved and started to swell. He tried to scramble up the side but kept sliding back down.

“Too hard” the hill seemed to breathe “not worth it”

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't make headway on the hill. He threw himself at it again and again but he started to believe the voice that it was hopeless, a lost cause. Was there anyway over this obstacle? Over....he thought. Gritting his teeth he took a step back and looked it over.

“Norbert!” he called suddenly “I’m going to need you” Pointing his wand at himself he whispered “Levicorpus” and felt himself flip upside down and hang in mid-air “Now! Drag me up and over the hill.” Norbert giggled wildly but latched on to Draco’s shoe and yanked him through the air and over the roiling earth. Once they were on the other side Draco muttered the counter-jinx, landing in a crouch and looking warily around. The air was eerily silent but he continued down the path.

He was almost to the tower when he heard a low rumbling behind him. Turning he saw a creature forming on the path. It was dark and smoky, seeming to have no solid substance except for claws and teeth “Death Eater scum” it hissed and Draco froze

“Impedimenta!” he tried but the creature kept advancing

“Underserving. Have you really changed? Do you think you’ve redeemed yourself?”

  
Draco stumbled back “Reducto” he tried but the creature kept coming. “Diffindo. Stupefy” nothing slowed its advance and it loomed larger and larger over Draco. Suddenly there was a rush of wings and Norbert was in front of him. “I can’t” Draco stuttered “I’m not strong enough.”

“Is Hermione a witch?” Norbert demanded

Yes. Brightest of her age” Draco retorted

“Do you love her? Trust her?”

“Of COURSE,” Draco shouted

“Then you don’t HAVE to do this alone” Norbert yelled back “I’ll buy you time. Go to her.” Draco paused for a heartbeat then turned and ran down the path. He heard the roar of Norbert’s fire and the screech of the creature.

Flinging open the door of the tower Draco took the stairs two at a time. His breath grew ragged as he continued to climb. “Why does it always have to be the bloody highest room in the bloody highest tower” he huffed.Pushing open the door at the top of the stairs he stumbled into the quiet room. Dust motes danced in a slant of sunlight and the only sound was his jagged breathing.

  
There she was. At the other end of the room Hermione lay, just as she had appeared when he’d looked at the pages of the book. Draco fell to his knees beside her and lay his head on her chest. The gentle rise and fall of her breathing flooded his body with relief and he began to sob “Hermione. I need you. I love you. Please come back to me.” Picking up his head he smoothed the curls from her face. He leaned forward and placed a trembling, chaste kiss on her lips.

He lingered for just a moment and began to draw back. He felt a huff of air and Hermione’s eyes flew open “Hermi- “he choked out before her lips were on his. Deep, adamant, she threaded one arm around his neck and the other into his hear. She held him there, not frantic but passionate as their lips broke apart and met together again. He dropped his head onto her shoulder “I thought I’d lost you” he said quietly. She just smoothed his hair in response “It’s all my fault. I just”

“No” Hermione interrupted him quietly. “This isn’t just on you.” She cradled his cheek and looked at him. “I was pulling away. I didn’t bother to come and talk to you, ASK you. I just retreated into myself and this damn book.”

Draco kissed her fiercely, nipping lightly at her lips and peppering kisses along her jaw and down her neck. She gasped and he nuzzled into her neck “I should have met you halfway” he breathed “You matter. You matter so much.”

Before Hermione could reply there was a crash at the door and wood started to splinter. Norbert tumbled through the window. “I did my best.” He gasped “Now get out of here. You’ve rescued your princess” Hermione’s brow arched “And you’ve found your prince.” He amended “Go have your happily ever after.”

“Thank you!” Draco called after him as Norbert flew off. Turning to Hermione he looked panicked. “There were no instructions for getting home!”

Hermione’s brow crinkled and she bit her lip, ignoring the hammering at the door. Suddenly she looked up “Happily ever after! That’s it!” Draco just stared at her but she grabbed his hand “Our patronuses. They are literally our happiness” Draco’s eyes cleared and he raised his wand. Hermione nodded and together they shouted “Expecto Patronum!”

Light erupted from the end of their wands and formed into two swans. They spread their wings in front of Draco and Hermione and the light grew brighter and brighter until they had to shield their eyes. There was a reverberating BOOM and the light vanished. Blinking, trying to clear the spots from their eyes, they looked around and found they were in their own living room. Harry, who had whirled around with his wand was just gaping at them “But you just left! How?

Draco chuckled “Magic?” Harry punched him lightly on the shoulder and gave Hermione a kiss on the forehead. Running a quick diagnostic spell over them he nodded, satisfied they were alright and began to dismantle the wards.

“The Department of Mysteries will want to look at that book Mione.”

“Of course.” She said quickly, turning to retrieve it, but it was nowhere to be found. All three of them scoured the room but the book had vanished.

Harry shook his head “I want the whole story” He paused, seeing how they were clutching each other “Tomorrow” With a wave he stepped through the fireplace leaving them alone.

Draco and Hermione looked at each for a long moment. His eyes roamed her face, committing it to memory. She laced her fingers through his and gave a shaky smile. Gently he cupped her cheek and put everything he was feeling into a deep, insistent kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! My first Dramione is finished! I hope you enjoyed it.


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